Man arrested in connection with at least two Oklahoma murders has a long criminal record | News

UPDATE (20.06.24):

The man at the center of a multi-state manhunt is in custody. Arkansas police released a picture of Stacy Lee Drake in handcuffs as he was taken into custody Thursday morning. Drake was wanted in connection with a double murder in Gans, near Sallisaw, and another murder in Alabama.

FOX23 has looked into Drake’s long criminal past.

Court documents show that Drake’s release from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Alabama was tied to a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that downgraded one of his initial convictions to a lesser crime. When he requested a re-sentencing hearing, he was given credit for time already served.

His criminal record dates back to 1994, when he was convicted of armed robbery in Arizona, according to court documents. He was also convicted of aggravated assault in the same state.

As recently as 2010, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for an armed carjacking in western Alabama. He remained there until his attorney requested a retrial of his sentence, arguing that his previous charges were no longer considered violent crimes due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling, Johnson v. United States. We spoke with attorney Tim Gilpin, who is not involved in Drake’s case, about the role that Supreme Court ruling played.

“In this case, the federal prosecutor and the judge agreed that one of the offenses used to increase his original sentence should not have been considered for the purpose of increasing the sentence,” Gilpin said.

A federal court in Alabama ruled that one of Drake’s convictions should no longer be used against him and re-sentenced him to 11 years in prison, which would have made him eligible for release from prison in 2021. But according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, he was released in May 2020 – with credit for time already served.

“After they serve their sentence, the guidelines say they have to sit for a certain amount of time on good behavior and then they get out. That’s because of the overcrowding in our prisons,” Gilpin said.

Records show he was a repeat offender and was charged with violating probation in 2022, which brings us to the present day, where three more innocent people have died and investigators are pointing the finger at Drake.

“I’m sure this judge did his best, and it’s just a terrible tragedy that this man was released and committed further crimes,” Gilpin said.

Drake also has an arrest warrant for robbery in Guymon, Oklahoma, dating to 2010.

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SEQUOYAH COUNTY, Oklahoma – As the manhunt for a cold-blooded killer continues, FOX23 heard from the family of one of the two people murdered at work in Sequoyah County Tuesday night.

It’s a story that’s making headlines across the country.

A mother, daughter, fiancée, friend and someone who was loved by all, Tara Barnett-Underwood’s family said this is a loss they will never get over.

“I have no words to describe my daughter. She was my life, she was the air I breathe,” said Randy Barnett, Tara’s father.

Randy said that in the darkness of this senseless act of violence, something must change.

“We’ve experienced too much gun violence, we’ve seen too much. When is the governor going to step in and say we need to do something,” Randy said.

Investigators said 50-year-old Stacy Lee Drake stole a car after the murders, which was found two hours east of the crime scene in the town of Morrilton, Arkansas.

Arkansas State Police said they learned Drake had purchased camping equipment in Morrilton and had been in the area since Wednesday evening.

They also said he was wanted for a murder in Alabama, where he was last believed to have lived.

FOX23 also spoke with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OBSI) to get details about the gruesome murders in Sequoyah County and what people should be aware of.

According to the OSBI, the murders occurred Tuesday evening at a small business in Sallisaw.

They said they are still searching for the suspect, who they believe is armed and dangerous.

“At this time, we consider Drake to be armed and dangerous. The public – not just in Oklahoma and Arkansas – needs to be vigilant and exercise caution when leaving their homes,” said Hunter McKee of the OSBI.

OSBI said Sequoyah County officials were alerted around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday by someone who found two dead people in LaFerry’s propane tank.

“Unfortunately, during their investigation, it was confirmed that both the man and the woman had sustained injuries consistent with homicide,” McKee said.

The Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the OSBI in the investigation and was able to help identify the suspect as Drake.

Later that evening, it was determined that Drake had stolen the vehicle, as previously mentioned. It was later discovered in Morrilton, Arkansas.

The photos below show the last time Drake was seen at a hotel in Arkansas.

Morrilton police said the hotel was searched but Drake was not found. They are unsure if he was picked up from the area or left on foot.

“Right now, our focus is on finding him and doing everything in our power to work with Arkansas authorities and get him off the streets,” McKee said.

The Barnetts want the families of the other victims to know that they are not alone.

“We are not the only family affected and that is why justice is so important for Tara. It is so important that we catch this guy so no one else gets hurt,” Randy said.

They said they would continue to demand justice for Tara.

“We are saddened and devastated by all the losses we have suffered because of this. It’s crazy, it’s like we’re in a horror movie and until he is caught or arrested, we can’t have closure, we can’t rest,” Randy said.

If you would like to donate to Tara’s family, click here.

FOX23 has also heard from someone who lives in Morrilton, where Drake is believed to be hiding.

One woman said she wished they had been informed about what was happening earlier.

“A lot of people are leaving like they left their doors unlocked and stuff. We weren’t notified until 9:00 this morning, even though it happened last night. It was a full eight to nine hours without anything. Like we didn’t even know. We thought we were still in paradise,” said Taylor Hickman.

Drake is a white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 6’1″ tall and weighs 185 pounds.

His last known address was Birmingham, Alabama.

If Drake is seen, you are asked to call 911.

If you know where Drake is or have any other information, call OSBI at 1-800-522-8017 or Morrilton Police at 501-354-0131.

The Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office is also asking residents of Maple, Akins, Hanson and Central communities to contact them if they have seen Drake in the past three days. They can be reached at 918-775-1213.